Battery receiving mechanism

ABSTRACT

A battery receiving mechanism includes a battery chamber which receives a battery and a conductor which is connected to one terminal of the battery. A biasing member biases the battery in a direction to connect the terminal of the battery to the conductor. An opening is provided in the wall of the battery opposite the first terminal of the battery to expose the first terminal to the outside.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/428,649, filedApr. 25, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,815.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a battery receiving mechanism for acamera or the like.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a battery receiving mechanism for acamera or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

A microcomputer incorporated in a camera stores a predetermined mode ordata when a power switch is turned OFF as long as a battery (orbatteries) remains in a battery chamber. Consequently, a user cannotreset the data of the microcomputer after the battery is inserted intothe battery chamber through a routine operation without interrupting thepower supply. Namely, to reset the microcomputer, it is necessary toopen a cover of the battery chamber to interrupt the power supply to themicrocomputer, and then close the cover of the battery chamber to supplypower to the microcomputer.

However, when the chamber cover is opened to interrupt the power supply,there is a possibility that the battery will accidentally fall out ofthe battery chamber. Moreover, if the chamber cover is secured to thechamber body by a screw (or screws), the screw(s) must be loosened ordisengaged, which is somewhat troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a batteryreceiving mechanism in which an electronic device or electronic circuit,such as a microcomputer, can be reset without opening a chamber cover ofthe battery receiving mechanism.

To achieve the object mentioned above, according to the presentinvention, there is provided a battery receiving mechanism including abattery chamber which receives a battery therein and a conductorconnected to one of a terminal of the battery, a biasing member biasesthe battery in a direction to connect thee terminal of the battery tothe conductor. An operating means moves the battery in a direction todisconnect the terminal of the battery from the conductor against thebiasing force upon receipt of an external force.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda battery receiving mechanism including a battery chamber which receivesa battery therein and a conductor connected to a terminal of thebattery. A biasing member biases the battery in a direction to connectthe terminal of the battery to the conductor. An opening is provided inthe wall of the battery chamber opposite to the terminal of the batteryto open it to the outside.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a battery receiving mechanism including a battery chamber whichreceives a battery therein, and a conductor connected to a terminal ofthe battery. A biasing member biases the battery in a direction toconnect the terminal of the battery to the conductor. An elasticallydeformable member provided on the wall of the battery chamber oppositeto the terminal of the battery, and which deforms when a predeterminedexternal force is applied thereto to move the battery, disconnecting theterminal from the conductor.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, a batteryreceiving mechanism includes a battery chamber which receives a batterytherein and a conductor connected to a terminal of the battery. Abiasing member biases the battery in a direction to connect the batteryto the conductor and which is connected to the other terminal of thebattery. An operating means moving the battery in a direction todisconnect the terminal of the battery from the conductor against thebiasing force upon receipt of an external force.

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japaneseutility model application No. 06-4493 (filed on Apr. 26, 1994) which isexpressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery receiving mechanismhaving a battery chamber with a chamber cover to which the presentinvention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a battery chamber with a chamber cover, viewedfrom the inside of the battery chamber, according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a battery chamber with a chamber cover ina locked position, taken along the line A--A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a battery chamber with a chamber cover ina nonconductive position, taken along the line A--A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a camera having a battery chamber with achamber cover, according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a battery receiving mechanism having abattery chamber with a chamber cover, according to a second embodimentof the present invention; and,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a battery receiving mechanism having abattery chamber with a chamber cover, according to a third embodiment ofof the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of a camera having a battery receivingmechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

A chamber cover 20 is detachably attached, or pivoted to, an open end 13of a battery chamber 12 provided on a bottom of a camera body 10 to openand close the open end 13. The chamber cover 20 will be discussed belowwith reference to FIGS. 1 through 4. Referring specifically to FIG. 3,the battery chamber 12 is comprised of a wall member 14 whose inner endsurface 14a is provided with an electrically conductive resilientcontact piece 15 with which one of the terminal of a battery 71(electrode 72) is brought into elastic contact to establish anelectrical connection therebetween. The contact piece 15 is anelectrically conductive material and is in the form of a coil spring soas to deformed elastically (extended or compressed). Namely, the battery71 is continuously biased in the downward direction so that theelectrical connection of the other terminal 73 of the battery 71 isensured.

The chamber cover 20 is provided at open end 13 of the battery chamber12 to prevent the battery 71 from protruding or dropping from thebattery chamber 12. The chamber cover 20 is comprised of a cover body21, a conductor piece 33 which comes into contact with the terminal 73of the battery 71 accommodated in the battery chamber 12 to establish anelectrical connection therebetween, a locking plate 41 adapted to lockthe chamber cover 20 to the open end 13, a reset member (working memberor actuator) 51 actuated to move the battery 71 in a direction in whichthe terminal 73 of the battery 71 is disconnected from the conductorpiece 33, and a reset driver 61 which drives the reset member 51.

The conductor piece 33 is integrally formed with a conductor plate 31 ofan electrically conductive metal, such as copper, by cutting and bendinga part of the metal plate 31. The conductor plate 31 is supported onthree posts 22 provided on the cover body 21 to define a space betweenthe cover body 21 and the conductor plate 31, so that the conductorplate 31, the locking plate 41 and the reset member 51, etc., can beaccommodated. The supporting posts 22 are provided on the front ends(upper ends) thereof with small diameter portions 22a which fit incorresponding holes 34 formed in the conductor plate 31. The conductorplate 31 is provided with an engaging portion (arm) 36, whose shapecorresponds to the shape of an engaging portion (arm) 24 of the coverbody 21, so that the engaging portion 36 fit in an engaging groove (notshown) formed in the open end 13. The conductor plate 31 (conductorpiece 33) and the contact piece 15 are electrically connected toelectrical components (not shown) within the camera body.

The locking plate 41 is provided with a circular disc body 42 and agenerally L-shaped engaging portion 43 which engages with a lockinggroove 16 formed in the open end 13. The disc body 42 is provided on thecenter portion thereof with an axial hole 44, and an engaging recess 45on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The disc body 42 is alsoprovided with an engaging hole 46, so that the axial hole 44 is locatedbetween the engaging hole 46 and the engaging recess 45.

The locking plate 41 is disposed between the cover body 21 and theconductor plate 31 through the reset member 7 51. The reset member 51 ismade of an annular body 52 provided with a driving projection 53 whosefront end (upper end) forms an oblique surface 54 which serves as a camsurface. The driving projection 53 engages the engaging recess 45 of thelocking plate 41 and extends through an archshaped elongated opening 35formed in the conductor plate 31 to protrude into the battery chamber12. Namely, when the reset member 51 is rotated in a reset direction,the oblique surface 54 comes into sliding contact with the terminal 73to press the battery 71 in the reset direction against the spring forceof the resilient contact piece 15.

The reset member 51 is also provided with a projection 55 provided onthe upper surface of the annular body 52 and a pair of diametricallyopposed projections 56 that protrude from the inner peripheral surfaceof the annular body 52 in the radial direction. The projections 56 areengaged in corresponding longitudinal grooves 64 formed on a shaftportion 62 of the reset driver 61 and extending in a direction parallelwith the axis of the shaft portion 62.

The cover body 21 is provided with a hole 23 in which the shaft portion62 of the driver 61 is inserted from the outside of the battery chamber12. The locking plate 41, the reset member 51, and the driver 61connected by a machine screw 66 inserted in the axial hole 44 of thelocking plate 41 and screwed in a threaded hole 63 formed in the frontend of the shaft portion 62. With this arrangement, the driver 61, thereset member 51 and the locking plate 41 are integrally supported on thecover body 21 to rotate together. Note that the driver 61 is provided onthe outer end surface thereof with a groove 65 (FIG. 5), so that thedriver 61 can be easily rotated, for example by a coin or the like,inserted in the groove 65.

The cover body 21 is provided with an engaging portion (arm) 24 whichprojects outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cover body 21to serve as an abutment to secure the chamber cover 20 to the camerabody 11, an upright guide wall 25 provided on the peripheral edge of thecover body 21, and engaging portions 26 provided on the opposite ends ofthe guide wall 25 and project from the upper edge of the guide wall 25in the radial direction. The engaging portions 24 and 26 engage in theengaging grooves 17 formed in the camera body 11 in the directionperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the battery chamber 12.The engagement of the engaging portions 24 and 26 in the engaginggrooves 17 ensure that the chamber cover 20 is held so as not to move inthe longitudinal direction of the battery chamber 12, i.e., in thedirection of the removal or insertion of the battery 71.

The driver 61 is rotated in the locking direction after the cover 20 isfitted in the opening 13. Namely, the engaging portion 43 rotates toengaged with the locking groove 16. As a result, the engaging portion 43comes into sliding contact with the locking groove 16, so that the hookportion of the front end of the engaging portion 43 engages with in thelocking projection 16a formed in the locking groove 16. When the obliquesurface (cam surface) 54 abuts against the terminal 73, the rotationload suddenly increases. In this position, the rotation of the driver 61stops. This position corresponds to a locked position in which noaccidental detachment of the chamber cover 20 can occur due to theengagement of the engaging portion 43 and the locking projection 16a.The chamber cover 20 is usually in the locked position. The lockingdirection corresponds to the clockwise direction in FIGS. 1 and 2, andthe counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5, respectively.

To reset the function of the camera 10, the driver 61 is further rotatedin the reset direction, i.e., the locking direction. Consequently, theoblique surface 54 moves the battery 71 against the biasing force of theresilient contact piece 15, etc., in the reset direction due to a wedgeeffect, while coming into sliding contact with the terminal 73. Themovement of the battery 71 causes the terminal 73 to disconnect from theconductor piece 33, breaking the electrical connection therebetween(FIG. 4). Consequently, the power supply to a microcomputer, etc., fromthe battery 71 is cut off deactivating the microcomputer. Thus, datastored in the RAM of the microcomputer is cleared and hence, the RAM isreset.

To return to a normal operation position, the driver 61 is rotated inthe unlock direction. Consequently, the oblique surface 54 separatesfrom the terminal 73, and the battery 71 is moved toward the conductorpiece 33 under the biasing force of the resilient contact piece 15. Theterminal 73 re-connects to the conductor piece 33 to supply theelectrical power to the camera (FIG. 3). Thus, the microcomputer isenergized and the reset operation is completed.

As is seen from the above discussion, according to the presentinvention, the microcomputer can be easily reset by rotating the driver61 without removing the battery 71 from the battery chamber. Moreover,since the reset operation and the locking operation of the chamber cover20 is carried out by the same operating member (driver 61), thestructure of the battery receiving mechanism can be simplified.

Although the above discussion has been directed to a detachable chambercover 20, the present invention can be applied to a pivotable chambercover. If the chamber cover is not located opposed to the terminal ofthe battery, the battery receiving mechanism is provided on the wall ofthe battery chamber or another portion of the battery chamber in whichone of the terminals of the battery can be disconnected from theconductor piece.

The arrangement which moves the battery 71 is not limited to that of theillustrated embodiment, so long as an electrical connection between atleast one of the terminals of the battery and the conductor is broken bythe movement of the battery. For instance, although the operating member53 is rotated by the driver 61 in the illustrated embodiment, therotating mechanism can be replaced with a linearly moving mechanism toestablish or break an electrical connection between at least one of theterminals of the battery and the conductor.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the chamber cover 81 andthe contact piece 82 which comes into contact with the terminal 73 ofthe battery 71 are respectively provided with resetting holes 83 and 84which open into the battery chamber. A rod (external tool) 91 isinserted in the resetting holes 83 and 84 to move the battery 71 tothereby disconnect the terminal 73 of the battery 71 from the contactpiece 82.

Although the chamber cover 81 is provided with the resetting hole 83 inthe second embodiment, the resetting hole 83 can be replaced with aresilient or flexible member 85 elastically deformable and provided, onthe deformable inner surface portion thereof opposed to the terminal 73of the battery 71, with a contact portion with which the terminal 73 canbe brought into contact (see FIG. 7). When an operator or photographerdepresses the deformable inner surface portion of the resilient orflexible member 85 from the outside, the battery 71 is moved in theresetting direction, so that the terminal 73 is disconnected from theconductor piece 82.

The contact piece 15 in the form of a coil spring in the illustratedembodiment can be replaced with a leaf spring or other elasticallydeformable member made of an elastic material, such as rubber orsynthetic resin, or metal, so long as the contact piece permits thebattery 71 to move there against.

As can be understood from the above discussion, since the electricalconnection between at least one of the terminals of the battery and theconductor piece can be broken by the movement of the battery receivedwithin the battery chamber without opening the chamber cover, electroniccomponents, such as a microcomputer which are supplied with theelectrical power from the battery can be easily reset.

We claim:
 1. A battery receiving mechanism including a battery chamberfor receiving a battery therein, and a conductor having an apertureconnected to a first terminal of said battery, comprising:a biasingmember which biases said battery in a first direction to connect saidfirst terminal of said battery to said conductor; and a deformablemember, mounted in said aperture, and which deforms when a predeterminedexternal force is applied to said deformable member, said external forcemoving said battery to disconnect said first terminal from saidconductor.
 2. A battery receiving mechanism according to claim 1,wherein said biasing member is an electrically conductive memberconnectable to a second terminal of said battery.
 3. A battery receivingmechanism according to claim 2, wherein said biasing member is a coilspring.
 4. A battery receiving mechanism according to claim 1, furthercomprising a chamber cover to open and close said battery chamber,wherein said deformable member is provided on said chamber cover.
 5. Abattery receiving mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said batteryreceiving mechanism is provided on a camera body.